Tarragon highly favoured by chefs
Regarded as one of the culinary world’s finest herbs, French tarragon is known for its delicate aniseed flavour. Use in chicken, fish, shellfish, rice dishes, omelettes, salad dressings and sauces.
Tarragon can be dried by hanging cut sections in a paper bag in a dark, warm place.
SOW AND GROW
When to sow: Indoors before the last expected frost
When to transplant: September to November
Position: Full sun
Harvest: 12 weeks Good for pots
GET STARTED
French tarragon rarely sets seed. Seedlings, divisions and root cuttings can be planted in spring. Softwood cuttings can be taken in summer and planted in the garden or – in frosty areas – kept in pots to overwinter under shelter. Autumn root cuttings can also be taken and kept under cover in frosty areas for planting out in spring.
STEP-BY-STEP
To start from root cuttings, dig up underground runners and place 8-10 centimetre-long pieces with a growing node into small pots of 50:50 seed mix and perlite. Or take softwood cuttings from growing tips, strip off lower leaves, dip into rooting hormone and insert into pots as above. Place in a warm, well ventilated spot. Mist often but don’t overwater.
Plant into your garden or larger pots when cuttings are well rooted. Or dig up clumps that are 3-4 years old and divide into 3-4 sections. Replant in garden (60cm apart) or pots (use a large pot).
GROWING TIPS
French tarragon doesn’t like humid conditions. It does best in light, freedraining soil with shelter from frost and full sun. In hotter areas, give it afternoon shade. Plants will tolerate light frost if sheltered, mulched or covered with frost cloth in winter.